Friday Spring arrived in Sitka. It was sunny, the crocus had popped up in the yard, the daffodils have just shown their green shoots peeking out from the soil, the skunk cabbage had returned to Navy Creek and the temperature … Continue reading Aurora and Sunset Hues in the Clouds
Forty Years ago, I was sitting at a desk in Sitka’s historic Cable house. We were in the process of building Raven Radio. I looked out the window and it looked like someone pulled the plug on the harbor system. … Continue reading Front Porch Fishin’
This morning at 10:30 the seiner fleet started fishing. The Sac Roe Herring fishery started north of Middle Island and lasted for 8 hours. It’s a controversial fishery. It takes tons of herring to get the egg sacs of the … Continue reading Permits? We ain’t got no permits! We don’t need no permits! I don’t have to show you any stinking Permits!
This afternoon I looked out my window and saw a nice sucker hole opening up very quickly so I jumped on it. On my way to Starrigavan I stopped at Sandy Beach to watch the surfers and the waves rolling … Continue reading Surfin’ in a Wintery Mix
Christmas Eve is usually a busy day for me. Tradition is that I do my Christmas Shopping on the 24th. I have finally learned that I should do most of it before then but some traditions I can’t let go … Continue reading Thoughts on Boxing Day
From our perch, looking South southwest over Jamestown Bay toward the Gulf of Alaska, I have a crows’ nest view of incoming weather, and from September to March I have nightly views of winter sunsets, when I can see them … Continue reading Winter Sunsets
Forty years ago, we were living in Sollar’s Trailer Court. We could see a small slice of the channel from the front window of our mobile home because we were a little forward of the trailer next to us. One … Continue reading Floating Joy
Stringy stuff in my hair, that’s the memory of Halloween for me. As kids we approached and entered the “Haunted House” where someone had hung strings or threads from the ceiling that would get into our hair, adding something tactile … Continue reading All Hallows Moss
August 28, 2020 Anyone who’s beachcombed in Southeast Alaska knows about hard plastic fishing buoys. Japanese fishermen use them, and sometimes they escape and wash up on our shores along with beach glass and flocks of rubber ducks that fell … Continue reading Brave Heart Buoys
HAL CPP Platinum-33-State COI August 8, 2020 And just like that it’s fall. The skies are overcast and even though sunset is still late, a little before 9 PM, it feels dark. We’ve had a good deal of rain this … Continue reading Recovery Fishing
August 7, 2020 I’m sitting in my living room looking out at the rain this first week of August. Fall is coming and I’m dreaming of that last week of July. A week that confirms for me that Southeast Alaska … Continue reading The Last Week of July
July 16, 2020 Eklutna is the only Native Alaskan village within the municipality of Anchorage. It sits between Thunderbird Falls and Cook Inlet’s Knik Arm north of Chugiak. One source says the village is 800 years old, another, dates it … Continue reading Spirit Houses
This was a dry Independence Day. Not only did it not rain but there was no water fight. The water fight has been my favorite July Fourth activity for years. The Coast Guard and Fire Department square off against each … Continue reading A Duck Dump and Antique Cars
May 30, 2020, Sitka, Alaska I don’t like visiting cemeteries. Perhaps it’s a reminder of my own mortality. Or perhaps it was watching my elementary school being built in the summer of 1950. To make room for the school playground … Continue reading A Shady Resting Place.
May 28, 2020, Sitka, Alaska. Sitka seem a little schizophrenic. Part of Sitka, along with the rest of Alaska, has started to “re-open responsibly” according to the Governor’s directive. And another part is reacting to Sitka’s second COVID case. While … Continue reading Up Hill!
May 3, 2020, Sitka, Alaska I would not make a good bank robber. On my walk yesterday almost everyone greeted me by name “Hi Rich” while I was wearing my mask. Only one person, someone I have known for decades, … Continue reading Who Was That Masked Man?
May 1, 2020, Sitka, Alaska It’s been a while since I visited the Michio Hoshino memorial totem pole on the south side of the Halibut Point Rec. Today was a nice sunny day so I decided to hike down for … Continue reading Michio Hoshino Totem Pole Redux..
April 19, 2020, Sitka, Alaska The instructions are confusing. We’re supposed to shelter at home but are encouraged to go outside for exercise. In spring, when the weather turns nice Alaskans NEED to get outside to crush cabin fever. Sheltering … Continue reading Social Distance vs Cabin Fever
Memories of Grandma April 12, 2020, Easter Sunday, Sitka, Alaska This year Lent started for us on a Thursday. We completely lost Ash Wednesday because of an untimely crossing of the dateline. So, we attended Ash Thursday services on MS … Continue reading When Does Lent End?
April 9, 2020, Sitka, Alaska I needed some more practice at social distancing before I really took it on-line. It was a beautiful day to try. I decided to walk along Silver Bay where I would not encounter too many … Continue reading Social Distancing…day 2
The first Christmas in Sitka, in a trailer park, Suzi looked out the window and saw brightly colored boats cruising by in the channel. Over the years the boat parade has ebbed and flowed with the economy and the weather. … Continue reading Sitka Christmas Boat Parade, 2019
When Michael Castellini, Dean of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Grad School, was a young scientist, his department chairs told him to stick with the research and never talk to reporters. ‘That is why we have public relations people, they’ll … Continue reading Mysteries of the Changing Seas, Sitka Whale Fest 2019
Saturday Sitka’s Rotary sponsored a wildlife cruise. On the preceding blog post you can read my comments on the day and the viewing. This page is all about scenery, including a picture on one of the fresh landslides we saw … Continue reading Rotary Scenery
Rotary lucked out. Planning a fundraising cruise in October is an iffy thing when you consider the weather. Rotary’s cruise on Saturday had interesting weather in that it was sunny with fog beginning to settle in. You looked one way … Continue reading Rotary Wildlife